Grammar Interactive Practice
Choose a topic and start practising.
Choose a topic and start practising.
In Victorian London, mud larks were children who a) (SEARCH FOR) valuable bits and pieces on the shores of the River Thames. They b) (NOT DO) this from boats, but c) (WAIT) until the tide d) (GO) out, and then e) (CRAWL) about in the river mud looking for anything valuable.
Henry Mayhew, a Victorian writer, f) (INTERVIEW) a mud lark in his book about poor working people in London in the 1850's.
"My family is Irish though I was born in London. My father g) (WORK) at London Docks. He is a strong-bodied man of 34. I h) (GO) to school with my brothers for about three years and i) (LEARN) reading and writing and arithmetic. One of my brothers j) (BE) at sea for past five years. I k) (WORK) in the neighbourhood of Millwall picking up pieces of coal and iron, copper and bits of canvas on the surface.
"When bargemen carry coal to the shore some of it m) (FALL) in the mud and we n) (PICK IT UP). The most I o) (EVER SEE) my companions find is one shilling's worth a day. There are usually thirteen or fourteen mud larks, boys and girls, around Limehouse in the summer and six boys steadily in the winter.
"When a bargeman p) (GET HOLD) of one, he generally q) (THROW) them into the river. The police boat r) (CHASE) me two or three times. One night I s) (SEE) a large piece of copper drop down where they t) (REPAIR) a ship. That evening as a ship u) (COME) out of the docks, I v) (STRIP OFF) my clothes and w) (DIVE) down several feet, x) (SEIZE) the piece of copper and later y) (SELL) it to a marine dealer."
© MEG Advanced U06Ex07
© MEG Advanced U06Ex06
A 32 year old man 1) (GET) home from work on Friday to find that someone 2) (STEAL) the shed from his back garden. Martin Graham, who 3) (LIVE) in Francis Road, Damely, 4) (TELL) us he couldn't believe his eyes. 'There was simply nothing there. I thought I 5) (GO) into the wrong garden.' A neighbour who 6) (NOTICE) the men while they 7) (DISASSEMBLE) the shed, 8) (ASSUME) that Mr Graham 9) (ASK) them to do it. The two men 10) (DRIVE OFF) in a white van. Police 11) (INVESTIGATE) and 12) (ISSUE) a description of the two men.
© MEG Advanced U06Ex04
For centuries, the Alps as a natural trade barrier between northern and southern Europe. Sending Italian wine to the Netherlands, or German washing machines to Greece, a long, slow journey along narrow alpine valleys, through tunnels and over passes.
The amount of freight crossing the Alps in heavy goods vehicles sharply over the last two decades. In 1990 an estimated 40 million tonnes by road; in 2001 that to 90 million tonnes, with further big increases expected by 2010. But concerns for the Alpine environment and fears over safety to big pressure to move freight off the roads and onto the railways. Both Switzerland's Gotthard road tunnel and France's Mont Blanc road tunnel major fires in the last ten years in which many .
As long ago as 1994, the Swiss in a nationwide referendum to put all freight crossing their country onto the railways. Naturally, such an ambitious plan overnight, but now the project dubbed the engineering feat of the 21st Century . Deep beneath the Alps, the Swiss a high speed rail link between Zurich and Milan. It , at 57 kilometres (35 miles), the world's longest tunnel. A key feature of the project, which is new to alpine transport, is the fact that the entire railway line at the same altitude of 500 metres (1,650 ft) above sea level. This trains using the line to reach speeds of 240 km/h (149 mph), reducing the travel time between Zurich and Milan from today's four hours to just two and a half.
© MEG Advanced U06Ex03
1. According to the latest reports, interest in Roman fashion GROWS / IS GROWING, and historians APPEAR / ARE APPEARING increasingly divided over how much ancient styles could influence modern trends.
2. The debate intensified after archaeologists in Italy uncovered what may have been a large Roman-era workshop used to produce leather goods and sandals. In a recent article, two researchers ARGUE / ARE ARGUING that the production methods observed at the site were far more advanced than previously believed.
3. Dr. Rossi, an outspoken critic of fast fashion, BELIEVES / IS BELIEVING that the 2,000-year-old sandal designs may help explain the exceptional durability that EXISTS / HAS EXISTED in surviving Roman footwear compared to many modern shoes.
4. At the same time, fashion brands HAVE ALREADY STARTED / STARTED experimenting with Roman-inspired collections. We are currently seeing a revival of these styles, although industry analysts say trends WILL / ARE likely to move toward another historical era within the next few years.
5. Manufacturers are also facing practical problems. Experts SAY / ARE SAYING that attempts to mass-produce these Roman sandals are proving difficult and in many cases too expensive for the average customer.
6. That, however, is not exactly what the Italian Ministry of Culture HAS SAID / SAID in an official statement released a few days ago.
7. The ministry described the discovery as a major opportunity for cultural tourism and historical research. Meanwhile, the excavation team’s report HAS CONCLUDED / CONCLUDED that the site HAS SERVED / SERVED as a major industrial hub during the Roman period.
8. Researchers also believe that interest in the ruins in ten years’ time WILL PROBABLY BE / IS PROBABLY higher than ever before.
9. Whatever historians eventually DECIDE / WILL DECIDE, fashion brands HAVE ALREADY STARTED / ALREADY STARTED bringing ancient Roman aesthetics back into modern collections immediately after the excavation results were announced last year.